Because I Wasn't Good Enough
by in-dreams-maybe
Summary: LilyxJames What's with James nowadays? He's undergone a complete change... But changes can be both good and bad. But the question is, why? Read on and find out! Story is better than summary, I can promise you that! Please R&R!


Because I Wasn't Good Enough For You

A/N: Hello! Below is a short story I came up with during English class because it was simply too boring to handle. Do leave a review at the end with your thoughts!

James Potter.

Arrogant prat? Check.

Brainless Git? Check.

Also the guy who Lily Evans was head-over-heels in love with? Che- wait. What?

* * *

><p>The morning dawned bright and sunny. Masses of students bustled into the Great Hall, chattering nineteen to the dozen. A certain red-head was among their number.<p>

Mere moments before the bell had rung, James Potter and company strode into the Great Hall, nonchalantly taking their seats directly opposite one red-head, a.k.a Lily Evans.

With a jerk of her head, Lily realized that James Potter, THE James Potter, had actually knotted his tie! Quite tidily, she might add. But that was beside the point. James Potter had actually knotted his tie! Lily didn't even _know_ that James could knot his own tie!

Time flew by on wings, and soon, Lily had to make her way to the classroom to prepare for lessons. She was the first in class, as usual. It was a well-known fact throughout the entire school that Lily Evans was _always _early for her classes. Never late, never on time. _Always_ early.

A few minutes later, the door creaked open. Lily assumed it was a Ravenclaw, as there were quite a few that turned up so absurdly early for class as well. She looked up from her six-foot long Transfiguration essay to greet the person with a friendly 'hello' or something like that. But as she opened her mouth to speak, she got the biggest shock of her entire life. It wasn't a Ravenclaw who had entered the room. It was…

_James Potter._

And company of course, but that didn't matter. It was really just James she was surprised at.

James. Potter. Was. Early. For. Class!

Lily was still struggling to cope with the reality of it all. She pinched herself to make sure that it wasn't a dream. Merlin's beard, everyone in the school knew that James Potter was _always _late for class. Never early, never on time. _Always_ late.

Realizing that her mouth was agape, she hurriedly shut it, her cheeks the color of the ripest of strawberries.

Fortunately for her, James didn't seem to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. He simply strode purposefully past her without a single "Hey Evans, want to go to Hogsmeade this week?" Not to mention, he didn't even look back at her when he passed!

That completely took the wind out of Lily's sails (again). James Potter was always asked her out at every opportunity he got, so much to the point that he was notorious for it. Why the sudden change?

James Potter always gazed longingly at Lily, his eyes penetrating so deeply into hers, and he wouldn't stop until Lily looked away or yelled at him to stop. It had always annoyed her to no-end, and she hated it. Now James Potter didn't do that anymore. She hated that even more.

Unfortunately, at that time, the bell rang and students started streaming into the classrooms, and Lily's chance to talk to James was lost.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed by in pretty much the same fashion, with James steadfastly ignoring Lily and acting as if she had never existed. Lily, surprisingly, was very bothered about the turn of events, and not in the least bit happy.<p>

Lily thought she would like him like how he had been today, but she was dreadfully wrong. The James who knotted his tie wasn't the James she knew. The James who turned up early for class wasn't the James she knew. The James who didn't ask her out wasn't the James she knew. The James he was now wasn't the one she knew. It wasn't the one she liked. The James he once was had been imperfect in his own perfect way, but she had been too blind to see it. And now, it could be too late.

The more she thought about, the more worried she became, for the fear that the James that once was would be lost forever… because of her.

Lily flounced into the Head Common Room. "JAMES POTTER!" She bellowed, feeling as though her lungs might have just ruptured.

The only response Lily got out of James was a small jerk of the head, and nothing more.

Lily wasn't expecting this kind of reply, and she was caught off guard. She had been expecting something along the lines of, "Yeah?" (That's what normal people usually said, right?)

Speechless for only a moment, she pulled herself together. In an accusatory tone, she asked, "What's with you lately? You were early for class. You didn't gaze at me for the first time in ages. You haven't talked to me for the whole day. You didn't ask me out at all."

Finally looking up from the charms essay that he had been working on, he replied bitterly, "Why are you asking me? You already know the answer. So why even bother asking?"

His statement left Lily entirely clueless. She really couldn't make head or tail of James' statement. What in the name of Merlin was James talking about? Her annoyance quickly reached a peak, and was coupled with a dash of anger. "Damn you James! I asked you a question! You reply with a proper answer, not a question! Just what on Earth is going on?"

James had shot to his feet, his eyes blazing with a terrible fury, and when he spoke, his tone was hard and icy. "You want answers? Fine. I'll give them to you. You might have figured this out yourself, though. I changed. Simple as that."

Now that was hardly what Lily considered a satisfactory answer, and she would not back down until James provided her with one. "Why did you change, then?" Lily pushed even further, determined to get to the bottom of this mess.

Instead of rage, an emotion far worse filled James' eyes. Hurt, sorrow and disappointment clouded his beautiful hazel eyes. The sparkles that once used to be were all gone. His gaze was intense, and looked directly into Lily's emerald eyes. "I changed for you, Lily. I changed because I wasn't good enough for you." His words had dropped to a mere whisper, his eyes now staring intently at the ground.

Without realizing, tears blurred Lily's line of vision. She unconsciously enveloped James in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry James. I love you just the way you are. Change back, will you?"

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please tell me what you think of it! Any suggestions for improvement would be greatly appreciated as well! Thank you!


End file.
